Water heater



Sept. 3, 1929. w. J. M CLURG T 1,727,015

' WATER HEATER Filed Oct. 19, 1927 QSheets-Sheet l .ZIZ DZ 35 3 v Q 9 5 "3 "11m 5 22 IN VEN TOR.

BYWE

ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 3, 1929. w. J. MCCLURG WATER HEATER Filed Oct. 19, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BY

ATTORNEKSI.

Patented Sept. 3, 1929. I 1

UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. MCCLURG, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER HEATER.

Application filed October 19, 1927.

This invention relates to water-heating apparatus, more particularly to water-heating apparatus for maintaining an adequate supply of hot water for domestic use.

.lt is among the objects of my invention to provide water-heating apparatus of simple, compact and durable mechanical construction which shall embody a minimum number of parts and which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is the provision of water heating apparatus which shall be efiicient in its capacity for heating wate to relatively high temperatures with a minimum use of fuel and which shall be adapted to automatically regulate the fuel consumption in accordance with the hot water demand.

Another object of the invention is the provision of special valve mechanism which shall function to automatically maintain circulation of hot water from the water heater to the storage tank and which shall be of such design as to be readily disposed within and assembled to standard water heating apparatus.

Still another object 01"- this invention is the provision of a water heating apparatus which is designed to facilitate its assembly and to make all of its parts readily accessible for inspection and renewal without entailing an appreciable amount of labor and exense. p Hcretotore various forms of water heating apparatus have been proposed which provide for the circulation of hot water in the storage tank when the hot water supply is cut off from the service line and which provides for automatically shutting off the circulation whenvhot water is drawn from the system. For this purpose various forms of circulating pipes and valve controlled passages have Serial No. 227,091.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a water heating apparatus embodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 a similar view of a modification of the apparatus; Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view of an enlarged detail illustrating the valve mechanism shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 a sectional elevational view taken along the line IVIV, Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the structure illustrated therein comprises a storage tank 1 of standard form and dimensions which is adapted to be supported in any suitabl manner as upon a base or standard (not shown) and which is provided with an inlet passage 2 and an outlet passage 3. As shown in the illustration, although other forms of connections may be employed, the inlet and outlet passages 2 and 3 respectively are connected by bushings 4; and 5 to T-connections 6 and 7. A delivery pipe 8 having restricted end portions 9 is disposed through the Ts and bushings and connected at its respective ends to a service line 10 leading to use and by a coupling 11 to a water heater coil 12 or any other suitable water heating apparatus. It will be noted that a passage '13 isprovided between the portion 9 of the delivery pipe 8 and a bushing 4 which pas sage is constituted by the space between the bushings and pipe to permit the flow of water from a water supply line 14 into the storage tank 1 and a similar passage 15 is provided in the outlet connection to permit the tlow of water from the tank to the connection 16 which leads to the lower end of the heating coil 12. i The delivery pipe is connected at its restricted end portions to nipples 17 to avoid the use of packing glands for sealing oil the inlet and outlet passages to the tank.

The water heater coil 12 is heated by a burner 19 having a gas line 20 controlled by a valve 21 at its lower portion and a valve 22 at its upper portion, the latter being responsive to a thermostat 23 which is disposed in the outlet connection 16 as illustrated in dotted lines.

The delivery pipe 8 is provided with a valve controlled passage 25 leading to the interior of tank 1. The valve consists of a casing 26 having a width corresponding to the inside diameter of the pipe 8 and having its upper and lower ends of semicylindrical shape to snugly engage the internal face of the pipe. The lower portion of casing 26 is to provide a passage 36 therearound. The

provided with an opening 27 which is adapted to be closed by a ball 28 which is movable within the casing 26 when the latter is assembled in the pipe 8. The pipe is provided with a plurality of ports or openings 29 to permit the flow of water from the interior of the pipe 8 to the interior of tank 1.

The operation of the apparatus described in connection with Fig. 1 is briefly as follows :The inlet connection 14 to a water supply is normally in its open position to provide for an adequate supply of water to tank 1, the water flowing from line 14:

through the passage 13 surrounding the delivery pipe 8 into the tank 1 and water flows from tank 1 through the passage 15 and the outlet connection 16 to the water heating coil 12 thence upwardly through the delivery pipe 8 to the connection 10 leading to the point of use. When the delivery pipe is closed against drainage as for example by closing valve 30, the water heating in coil 12 rises upwardly, in pipe 8 and exerts a back pressure in excess of the pressure within tank 1 whereby the ball 28, Fig. 3, is unseated and the heated water flows through the opening 27 in valve casing 26 through the ports 29 of pipe 8 into tank 1.

As long as the delivery pipe 10 is shut oii the circulation of hot water from coil 12 to the tank 1 will be maintained to heat the water in the tank but the instant Valve 30 is opened or water is drawn from the delivery pipe 8 the ball 28 will seat to close the valve 7 27 and water will be delivered from the heating coil 12 direct to the point of use.

To provide for the economical use of fuel within the limits of the temperature range at which it is desired to deliver hot water thermostat controlled valve 22 regulates the fuel supplied to burner 19 underneath the coil 12 so that the heating capacity of the burner will vary in accordance with the temperature of the water passing from the tank 1 through the outlet connection 16. In this manner, it a large amount 01": water is withdrawn from the apparatus its high temperature may be maintained by the increase of the burner capacity in the manner stated and similarly if the demand for hot water drops off the burner capacity will be readily reduced in accordance with the temperature of the water passing from the tank to the heating coil by virtue of the circulation effected in the manner heretofore explained.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated a modified form of a valve mechanism for controlling the circulation of hot water through the heating coil and storage tank. The valve mechanism comprises a pipe element 31 connected to a delivery pipe 32 leading to the point of use 33 and controlled by a valve 34-. l Vithin the pipe member 31 is disposed a smaller pipe element 35' of such dimension as pipe member 35 passes through the outlet passage of the tank and connects to the top of the heater coil. A valve 37 is disposed around the pipe 35 having a snug sliding fit thereon and is biased by a coil spring 38 against the lower face of the pipe element 31. The spring 38 rests against a shoulder constituted. by a nut element 39 that is mounted on the threaded portion 40 of pipe member 35 to be adjustable thereon to regu late the tension of the spring member 38.

The other portion of the water heating apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is similar to that described in connection with Fig. 1 and its operation is briefly as tollowsz-The spring 38 is calibrated to exert a given pressure against the valve element 37 and the latter is adapted to be displaced by the pressure building up in the delivery line of the system when the latter is disconnected from the point of use. When the pressure in the delivery pipe exceeds the pressure in tank 1 the disk 37 is displaced to permit the flow of heated water from the delivery line around the passage 36 into tank 1 and when the delivery pipe is connected to use for withdrawing hot water therefrom, the valve 37 immediately seats against the lower face of the pipe member 31 and water is withdrawn from the heater coil 12 as previously explained. The heating coil may be provided with a drain cook 42 and the burner is regulated by a thermostat controlled valve in the manner explained above.

It is evident from the foregoing description of this invention that water heating systems made in accordance therewith are of a simple construction and eihcient in their operation of maintaining an adequate supply of hot water with a minimum consumption of fuel. It is further evident that the apparatus may be constructed of standard parts and may be assembled by any pipe fitter without requiring special knowledge or skill.

Although I have described the water heating apparatus as being for use in supplying hot water for domestic purposes, may utilize the apparatus herein described as an expansion tank in connection with water heating systems for hot water heat employing radiators for heating rooms and the like. When utilized in this manner the water supply line is closed and the apparatus functions precisely in the manner herein explained.

AlthoughI have illustrated several of the embodiments of my invention it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. In a water-heating apparatus the combination with a storage tank having inlet and outlet passages, of a delivery pipe passing through said tank and having a communicating passage therewith, a water heating coil connected at one end to said pipe and connected at its other end to the outlet passage of said tank and means responsive to pressure variations in the delivery pipe for opening and closing the passage in said pipe.

2. In a water-heating apparatus the com- ,bination with a storage tank having inlet and outlet passages, of a delivery pipe passing through said tank and having a valved heating coil connecting said outlet passage and delivery pipe, said pipe having a valve controlled passage to the tank which is vadapted to be open when pressure in the pipe exceeds the pressure within the tank and to be automatically closed when the delivery pipe is opened to use.

4. In a water-heating apparatus the combination with a storage tank having an outlet passage, of a delivery pipe extending through said tank and having a valve controlled passage to the tank and a water heating coil connecting said outlet passage and said pipe, said delivery pipe having its valve controlled passage open when pressure in the pipe exceeds the pressure within the tank.

5. In a water-heating apparatus the combination with a storage tank having inlet .and outlet passages at the top and bottom of the tank, a delivery pipe extending through the tank and its inlet and outlet passages, and having a valve controlled passage to the interior of said tank, and a Waterheater connected to the outlet passage of the tank and to the delivery pipe.

6. In a water-heating apparatus the combination with a storage tank having an outlet passage, of a water heater connected to said passage, a delivery pipe connected to said heater and extending through said tank, ,said pipe having a passage to the tank and a valve controlling said last named passage, said valve comprising a casing adapted to be disposed in said delivery pipe to form a valve chamber having a passage to the in- "terior of the pipe and a ball in said casing for controlling said passage.

7. In a water-heating apparatus the combination with a storage tank having an outlet passage, of a water-heater connected to said passage, a delivery pipe connected to said heater and extending through said tank, said pipe having a passage to the tank and a valve controlling said last named passage, said valve comprising a flanged partition member disposed in said pipe and being of such shape as to form a valve chamber with the wall portion of the pipe, said partition member having a passage in one of its flanged ends, and a ball in said valve chamber for controlling said last named passage.

8. Water-heating apparatus comprising in combination a storage tank and a water heater in superposed relation, said tank having an inlet and outlet passage respectively centrally of the top and bottom portions of the tank, and said water heater having a delivery pipe projecting through said passages, to permit circulation of the water from'said pipe through the tank, and for cutting off circulation when water is withdrawn from said pipe.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM J. MCCLURG. 

